The original Hades is the first game of its kind that I ever played, and I don't think it's any coincidence that action roguelikes have begun popping up all over Steam since its popular release several years ago. It's considered an all-time classic—and rightfully so.
But now, Hades 2 is here to raise the bar yet again. The people at Supergiant Games have now proven to be masters of their craft, and fans of the genre are in for a treat whether they bought into early access or are picking it up for the first time now that 1.0 has launched.
2 Fast 2 Hades
Hades 2 is similar to the original game in that it's a whole lot more of the same gameplay formula, but more refined in just about every way. I bought it on Steam early access when it launched in May 2024, but decided then that I wanted to wait until the game was fully out. That day is here, and I couldn't be more pleased with my decision.
The sequel ups the ante with better boons, more interesting weapons, and unique biomes to traverse through each night as you slowly grow in power, gain abilities, and master each boss battle until you can clear them with ease.
Looking back through different early access update notes, it's clear that Supergiant used the game's early access period to improve and iterate with each patch, helping to bring this game to its maximum potential, just like the first title. Hades 2's new characters and their unique boons are fun, and mixing and matching different powers to find the perfect combo for your equipped weapon and particular run is an unmatched feeling in the genre.
Similarly though, Hades 2 suffers the same fate as the original, where re-playing the first few biomes over and over again can become mundane, but changing up weapons, getting different boons from different gods, and just enjoying the incredibly satisfying combat along the way largely mitigates this.
Stop, collaborate, and listen
In Hades 2, Hades 1's hero Zagreus is succeeded as the protagonist by his younger sister, Melinoë, as the Titan Chronos has taken control of the underworld and kidnapped her family (including Zagreus, Persephone, and Hades himself). Thus, the stage is set for the game's many events and twists as she must descend back into hell to try and reclaim her family's throne.
Chronos is as imposing a force in Hades 2 as any of the series' characters from the pantheon, and Melinoë brings something new to the table as the youthful witch-like princess of the underworld, offering a big change of pace from Zagreus's snark.
The high-octane gameplay of Hades 2 is slowed by fun dialogue as the gods offer you new powers and abilities, and I don't mind it one bit. Fans will have their favorites among these gods and figures. I do think I enjoy the banter between Zagreus and the gods in Hades 1 a bit more compared to Melinoë's respectful nature in this game, but every conversation is expertly acted and worth a listen, even as you're jamming your way through each night's encounters.
The pull of Hades 2 is your sense of progression as you make it a bit further in each run, but even if you fail earlier than you may have liked, there's fun to be had in listening to Melinoë's talks with mythological figures, collecting crafting materials or currency, or just learning mechanics.
One of the other main differences between Zagreus and Melinoë is that Hades 2's star uses Magicka (mana points) for several of her attacks, and depending on the weapon, an entire build can be crafted around this resource, making for even deeper gameplay than before.
Hades 2 on Switch 2 is 2 Pretty
Nintendo sent me the Nintendo Switch 2 Edition of the game, and it immediately became the best game I own on the new console. This game is stunning, and the Switch 2's hardware flexes Supergiant's gorgeous art style with 120 FPS in docked mode or 60 FPS in handheld mode. No matter how you play it, it's a joy to look at.
One of my favorite features, though, is the addition of cross-saves between the Switch 2 and PC. I was able to connect my Steam account and use my PC's cloud save to pick up where I left off last year (I also started a new file to refresh my memory), and that is just awesome.
This means that even players who own the game on PC may want to pick it up on Switch or Switch 2 to continue their saves on the go (it also runs well on Steam Deck if that's your thing), and judging by this title's quality, I expect many will purchase it multiple times across different platforms to continue their fun no matter where they are.
Just like its predecessors, Hades 2 is a perfect game for the Switch 2. In just about a week of hands-on time with the 1.0 release, it's become my most-played game on Nintendo's new console in its three-plus months since release, and I don't see that changing any time soon with a couple dozen hours already invested. At $30, this game is a steal.
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